As a discipline, history surveys the human past in all its complexity: populations, economies, techniques, politics, religions, arts, ideologies, etc.
At the cost of oral interviews, research in archives or manuscript cabinets, in libraries or museums, on archaeological sites or in certain privileged places where nature has fixed memories of the past, history aims to locate traces left by humans. The aim is to understand the environment in which they lived. It tracks down all possible witnesses.
History borrows questions and methods from the human sciences, making it possible to grasp correlations, detect genesis - in a word, to understand the human adventure.
Two features of history are worth highlighting. Firstly, history is a matter of investigation; indeed, it must begin by discovering the multiform material on which it will work, the "documents" of the past. Secondly, it concerns knowledge of the past over time, sometimes over a very long period, and therefore analyzes births, mutations and evolutions.
A alumni association is present within the department.
Find out more about the History Department
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News

Axel Tixhon, scientific guarantor of a historic augmented reality project
Axel Tixhon, scientific guarantor of a historic augmented reality project
This is a first in Wallonia! The Citadelle de Dinant now offers an augmented reality tour that plunges visitors right into the heart of its history. At the helm: the French company Histovery, specializing in heritage reconstructions, with scientific support from Axel Tixhon, professor in the History Department at UNamur.

In the photo: Édouard Lecanuet, production assistant at Histovery, Minister Valérie Lescrenier in charge of Tourism and Heritage, Marc de Villenfagne, managing director of the Citadelle of Dinant, and Axel Tixhon, professor in the History Department at UNamur, inaugurate the HistoPad, a 3D reconstruction tool of the history of the Citadelle of Dinant. A project scientifically validated by Axel Tixhon.
Thanks to an interactive tablet christened HistoPad, the public can explore the site like never before. At various points along the route, visitors discover historical scenes recreated in 3D, supported by rigorous documentation and faithful reproductions of period settings, costumes and objects.
Three key periods have been selected for this immersion:
- 1821, Dutch period and construction of the fort
- 1832, Belgian period during which the Citadelle becomes a military prison
- 1914, during the First World War, the site is the scene of confrontations
Historical rigor at the service of innovation
Professor Tixhon was involved in all stages of the project, as a member of the scientific committee. Initially, he highlighted historically interesting events and traces still visible today, such as artillery pieces, an old kitchen or a bakery. It also provided Histovery with relevant and reliable documentation.
A faithful historical reconstruction, down to the smallest detail
His expertise has made it possible to assess the historical accuracy of the reconstructions.

They asked me to validate details, such as the Dutch army uniforms or the handling of weapons," he explains. "We also had to avoid anachronisms. For example, the Histovery team had displayed an 1850 portrait of King Leopold I in the office of a fort commander in 1832. They had also displayed the current coats of arms of the 9 Belgian provinces, which didn't match the coats of arms of the time. So we had to find the right portrait and the right coats of arms.
The invisible recomposed through archives
Some locations have also been virtually recreated from ancient iconographic sources, such as an ingenious wooden mechanism that once carried water from the Meuse to the fortress.
Histovery, already known for its achievements at the Château de Chambord, the Palais de papes in Avignon and Fort Alamo in the USA, here signs a Walloon first, blending heritage, innovation and scientific rigor. A success that demonstrates, once again, the relevance of dialogue between experts at the University of Namur and socio-economic and cultural players.
.The Patrimoines, transmissions, héritages (PaTHs) institute
The Patrimoines, Transmissions, Héritages (PaTHs) institute is a federation of research centers and groups that have sprung up in and around the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. The institute is made up of several research clusters. Axel Tixhon is a member of the HISI cluster (History, Sounds, Images).

UNamur History Department
As a discipline, history surveys the human past in all its complexity: populations, economies, techniques, politics, religions, arts, ideologies, etc.

A first in Belgium: UNamur researcher reveals forgotten history of Walloon wolves thanks to ancient DNA
A first in Belgium: UNamur researcher reveals forgotten history of Walloon wolves thanks to ancient DNA
From 2020 to 2025, as part of her doctoral thesis in history, researcher Julie Duchêne conducted a ground-breaking investigation blending history and biology to trace the cohabitation between humans and wolves in Wallonia and Luxembourg, from the 18th to the early 20th century. Thanks to an innovative interdisciplinary approach, including DNA analysis of naturalized 19th-century specimens, her work sheds light on the mechanisms that led to the local extinction of the species. This research was made possible thanks to the support of numerous scientific and cultural partners.

In her doctoral thesis, Julie Duchêne (PhD in History UNamur/FNRS-FRESH) has brought out of the shadows the unexplored history of the relationship between humans and wolves in the Walloon and Luxembourg territories during the pivotal period that saw the extinction of the species there (18th-early 20th century).
What's at stake in this research?
- To understand the complexity of this coexistence in our regions,
- To identify the influence of human activities on the lives of wolves and of wolves on human activities,
- To decipher the mechanisms that led to the extinction of Canis lupus.
To achieve this, the researcher has deployed a pioneering multidisciplinary methodology in Belgium, combining on the one hand historical and documentary analyses, and on the other morphological and DNA analyses of naturalized 19th-century wolves preserved within a dozen partner institutions, museums and venues in Wallonia. Thanks to collaboration between the E-BIOM laboratory and the University of Namur, 13 specimens were thus studied according to a rigorous protocol, respectful of the integrity of the historical pieces.
While ancient DNA is often degraded by time, conservation conditions or the products used during naturalization, 9 out of 13 samples yielded results.

The main results of this analysis :
- Species confirmed : All the specimens analyzed belong to the species Canis lupus lupus, ruling out the hypothesis of dogs or hybrids.
- Kinship identified : Two wolves, including one kept by the de Bonhome family in Mozet, present a proven kinship.
- Dominant haplotypes: The majority of wolves belong to haplotypes H4 and H8, from a metapopulation historically present from western France to Germany.
- Discovery of an extinct haplotype: The Habay wolf, preserved by the de Beaulieu family, has a unique genetic profile, probably from a now-extinct population.
- Higher past genetic diversity: Wolves from the 18th and 19th centuries show greater genetic diversity than current populations.
- Wallonia, a historical crossroads: Even then, the region was at the crossroads of two major lupine dispersal routes: one from France, the other from Germany.

These discoveries underline the past genetic richness of wolves in Europe and the strategic position of Wallonia, already a crossroads for dispersal in the 19th century. A situation that echoes the territory's current recolonization by German-Polish and Italian-Alpine lineages
This study highlights the importance of heritage collections for better understanding the evolutionary history of species and contemporary conservation issues.
Want to find out more?
Discover all the results of this study and the "Loup qui es-tu?" project.
Brochure explaining the "Loup, qui es-tu?" project
To find out more ...
Deconstructing preconceived ideas about the wolf for a better-informed debate
The historical and scientific analysis carried out by Julie Duchêne also helps to qualify certain preconceived ideas about the wolf, often relayed in current debates.
- Attacks on human beings have existed, but they remain marginal and to be put into perspective. Complaints mainly concerned the loss of livestock (sheep, cows, horses, etc.).
- The wolf doesn't just live in the forest. Historically, it also frequented fields, roads, ponds and moors. Its presence depends on many factors, not a single habitat.
- The confrontations are not one-sided. They are also the result of human expansion into natural environments, not just wolf incursions.
- Populations did not seek to exterminate the species. They aimed for regulation, integrating lupine nuisances as well as other natural hazards.
- The wolf plays a positive ecological role, regulating populations of large herbivores, which promotes forest regeneration.
- The wolf's extinction is not due solely to eradication policies. It is the result of a combination of factors, including increasing human pressure on natural environments.
A study that extends into an exhibition
Julie Duchêne's research was also used to set up the exhibition "Même pas peur! Une évolution de l'image du loup à travers les siècles", developed by third-year history bachelor students as part of the Cultural Project course. The exhibition makes stops at :
- From May to early June 2025: Floreffe Seminary
- From June to September 2025: Pairi Daiza
- From October 2025 to May 2026: Gaumais Museum
About Julie Duchêne
Julie Duchêne holds a PhD in History from UNamur, specializing in environmental history and applied history (Public History). A FNRS-FRESH scholarship holder, she defended her doctoral thesis entitled "Les loups, de nuisibles à invisibles. Le rôle des politiques de lutte dans la disparition des loups des territoires wallon et luxembourgeois (18e-20e siècles), conducted under the supervision of Professor Isabelle Parmentier (director of the Pôle de l'histoire environnementale, institut ILEE).

Applied history: UNamur's contribution to the recognition of Saucisson gaumais as a PGI
Applied history: UNamur's contribution to the recognition of Saucisson gaumais as a PGI
Granular on the outside, medium-sized with a texture that is both tender and firm, subtle smoking, aromas that linger on the palate and... historical roots in its terroir: these are the assets that have enabled Saucisson gaumais to earn the European PGI label.

July 26, 2024 marks a key date for Wallonia and its culinary traditions with the registration of the name "Saucisson gaumais" as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) by Europe. This label promotes the specific characteristics of local products, while preserving the unique know-how of local producers. Among the players who have contributed to this recognition, the University of Namur, through the AgriLabel project, has played a decisive role.
Created in 2011 on the initiative of the Service public de Wallonie (SPW) and supported by the Cabinet of the Walloon Minister of Agriculture, the AgriLabel project aims to support the region's producers in obtaining quality labels for their products, in particular Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI). Informing consumers about the specific characteristics of these products is one of the objectives pursued by Europe in awarding these labels, while protecting them from imitations or usurpations of product names. This support is based on a partnership between two academic institutions: the University of Liège-Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech and the University of Namur.
Within this framework, the University of Liège-Gembloux focuses mainly on the technical aspects linked to production, such as characterizing the product and the manufacturing process, as well as delimiting the geographical area of production. For its part, UNamur is responsible for demonstrating the socio-historical link between the product and its terroir, its reputation and notoriety over time, essential elements for the recognition of a PDO or PGI denomination.
.Natacha Aucuit: historical expertise at the service of local products
Natacha Aucuit, a researcher specializing in food history at UNamur and a member of ILEE and Transitions, makes a key contribution to the AgriLabel unit under the supervision of Professor Isabelle Parmentier. Since 2013, she has been working on registration applications for products such as Fraise de Wépion and Jambon d'Ardenne IGP, among others. Its main role is to establish a documented historical link between the product and its terroir, based on rigorous research and a scientific approach.
In the case of Saucisson gaumais, this work required immersion in the region's agricultural and food history. Historically, the Gaume, which is slightly warmer than the Ardennes, shares with the latter a climate conducive to pig rearing, fed in particular on acorns and faines from local forests. Although these ancestral practices were abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century in favor of pig farming, they have left a lasting legacy, particularly in the manufacture of sausages. Saucisson gaumais, like its Ardennes cousin, is distinguished by a specific manufacturing process where the smoking method and the texture of the melee give the product its unique character.
Getting the PGI label for Saucisson gaumais is the fruit of a long process. Indeed, the process can take several years, not least because of the complex development, consultation and administrative procedures at regional, national and European level, and the questions posed by national and European bodies.

The Cellule AgriLabel, although it does not prospect, responds to producers' requests according to their motivations and the specificities of each dossier.
At present, several other dossiers are underway, such as Miel wallon at European level and Boudin blanc de Liège at national level. These initiatives testify to the ongoing drive to enhance the value of Walloon terroir products, based on the historical and technical research of the two partner universities.
In short, AgriLabel, with the expertise of UNamur, welcomes an Applied History approach where academic research is mobilized to enhance and protect the regional gastronomic heritage. The success of Saucisson gaumais as a PGI is an eloquent example of this fruitful collaboration between academic knowledge and local know-how.
Find out more?

Bruno Colson: passionate historian, fascinating teacher
Bruno Colson: passionate historian, fascinating teacher
As a child, Bruno Colson was very fond of toy soldiers, the colorful uniforms of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, cavalry charges... From this passion, he made his profession. An expert in the history of war, he has studied contemporary questions of strategy and defense for years. On the eve of his retirement, Bruno Colson looks back on the involvement of Belgians in the Austrian troops in the 18th century with an exhibition at the Moretus Plantin University Library (BUMP). Interview.

Cette interview a été réalisée pour la rubrique "Expert" du magazine Omalius #26 (septembre 2022)
Votre exposition s’intitule « La gloire des "Wallons" ». À quoi cela fait-il référence ?
Il s’agit d’une période plutôt oubliée de notre histoire, celle des Pays-Bas autrichiens. Entre 1725 et 1795, de jeunes Belges se sont engagés dans l’armée multinationale des Habsbourg, aux côtés des Autrichiens, d’Allemands, de Tchèques, de Slovaques, de Hongrois… Les Habsbourg d’Autriche étaient les souverains légitimes, par héritage familial, de nos régions, y compris le duché de Luxembourg mais excepté la principauté de Liège qui était autonome à l’intérieur du Saint Empire romain germanique. Il est difficile de chiffrer le nombre total des Belges qui ont servi dans l’armée des Habsbourg. Mais durant plus de 70 ans, ils ont fourni chaque année entre 9 000 et 17 000 hommes, tous volontaires. Globalement, la « période autrichienne » fut plutôt favorable à la croissance économique de nos régions. Contrairement au XVIIe siècle, elles connurent moins la guerre et ses malheurs. Il y eut donc un enrichissement relatif de la population, notamment grâce au développement du tissage et à de meilleurs rendements agricoles.
Pourquoi parlait-on de « Wallons » plutôt que de « Belges » dans le domaine militaire ?
Vous aurez remarqué que « Wallons » est entouré de guillemets pour signaler un usage différent d’aujourd’hui. Il y avait bien sûr des Flamands et des Bruxellois qui s’engageaient dans les régiments dits « wallons ». L’origine de cette appellation n’est pas claire. Elle remonte à l’époque de Charles Quint. Les historiens conviennent cependant que le métier des armes attirait un peu plus les populations wallonnes. Les Flamands, dont les villes se sont beaucoup développées dès le Moyen Âge, vivaient davantage du commerce et de l’artisanat. Ils avaient donc moins de raisons de contracter un engagement militaire. Mais l’appellation de « régiments wallons » est un exemple de la désignation d’une partie pour le tout, comme l’expression « peinture flamande ». Au XVIIIe siècle, on qualifiait parfois de « Flamands » tous les habitants des Pays-Bas car le comté de Flandre était l’entité la plus connue et la plus riche. Le mot "Wallonie", lui, n’existait pas.
Comment cette époque a-t-elle pris fin ?
Avec les guerres de la Révolution française. Les Français envahissent nos régions en 1792, ils sont repoussés en 1793 mais reviennent en 1794, pour vingt ans. Lors du traité de Campo Formio en 1797, François II de Habsbourg cède les Pays-Bas à la République française. Sur le plan international, la Belgique est annexée à la France. L’armée autrichienne ne peut donc plus recruter de soldats dans nos régions. Pourtant, la plupart des officiers des régiments « wallons » restent fidèles aux Habsbourg et quelques Belges continuent même de rejoindre en secret l’armée autrichienne.
Des Namurois ont-ils servi dans l’armée des Habsbourg ?
Bien sûr. Le comté de Namur était une entité plutôt modeste au sein des Pays-Bas. Mais l’exposition à la BUMP met à l’honneur quelques officiers namurois. Le comte Jacques François de Groesbeeck était capitaine de grenadiers au régiment de Ligne-infanterie au début de la guerre de Sept Ans. Il fut tué au combat de Görlitz en Silésie, le 7 septembre 1757. Le prince Charles-Joseph de Ligne écrivit une lettre de condoléances à sa famille. Le document est toujours conservé aux Archives de l’Etat à Namur. On verra aussi dans les vitrines de l’exposition deux figurines représentant Louis Auguste Fallon et Louis de Romrée, des noms toujours portés aujourd’hui par des Namurois.
Le prince Charles-Joseph de Ligne est un personnage connu. Qui était-il ?
Parfois surnommé « le Prince rose » à cause des couleurs de sa livrée et du régiment d’infanterie de son père, Charles-Joseph de Ligne (1735-1814) fut un des plus grands écrivains du XVIIIe siècle, abordant tous les genres, de la pièce de théâtre au roman. Personnage cosmopolite et de grande culture, aussi à l’aise dans les salons de Versailles que dans ceux de Vienne et de Saint-Pétersbourg, il incarne le « bel esprit » de son siècle au moment où celui-ci se meurt dans les tourments de l’époque révolutionnaire. Il quitte son beau château de Belœil en 1794, à l’arrivée des troupes françaises, pour se réfugier à Vienne. Mais avant d’être un écrivain, il a été un officier intrépide et s’est beaucoup distingué durant la guerre de Sept Ans. Il a également écrit des ouvrages de réflexion sur le métier militaire : plusieurs sont présentés dans l’exposition. Comme d’autres Belges, il parvient au grade suprême de feld-maréchal, en 1808.
Que garde-t-on de cette époque ?
Les Autrichiens n’avaient pas autant le souci de la gloire militaire que les Français, les Prussiens ou les Russes. Aussi ont-ils gardé moins d’objets de cette époque. Si vous observez les uniformes de l’armée des Habsbourg, à part les hussards hongrois avec leur costume national, vous ne verrez pas autant d’épaulettes, d’ornements, de couleurs, de broderies que dans l’armée française, par exemple. L’infanterie autrichienne portait des uniformes assez simples, les moins coûteux possibles, blanchis à la craie. Il n’y avait pas non plus comme en France autant de commandes officielles de « peintures de batailles ».
Les Belges rejoignent un peu les Autrichiens sur ce plan. Ils les rejoignent aussi en matière d’autonomie et de libertés locales. Ce n’est pas un hasard si ce sont des pays fédéraux.
Vous terminez votre carrière à l’UNamur, quel souvenir gardez-vous ?
Je vais partir heureux et très reconnaissant de ce que j’ai pu accomplir ici.
J’ai eu notamment la chance de pouvoir instaurer un cours d’histoire militaire. Namur est d’ailleurs la seule université belge à proposer un tel cours, qui rencontre un beau succès auprès des étudiants. J’ai toujours aimé enseigner et partager avec des jeunes ma passion pour l’histoire. Mes cours ont toujours été suivis par des étudiants d’au moins deux programmes différents : droit, sciences politiques, histoire et philosophie. J’ai développé avec eux une relation qui est devenue un peu paternelle, au fil des années. J’estime qu’on m’a vraiment donné toutes les possibilités de m’épanouir intellectuellement, je n’aurais pas pu rêver mieux.
CV express
- Né en septembre 1957
- Docteur en histoire (Sorbonne, Paris) et en sciences politiques (UCL)
- Licencié et agrégé en histoire (UCL) et en philologie classique (ULg)
- Doyen de la Faculté de droit de 2005 à 2009
- Professeur en histoire constitutionnelle et régimes politiques, histoire des idées politiques, histoire des relations internationales, guerre et stratégie à l’époque contemporaine à l’UNamur
- Namurois de l'année 2006 (domaine scientifique)
- Officier de l'ordre de Léopold II
- Auteur de plusieurs ouvrages remarqués
- Prix Premier Empire de la Fondation Napoléon (Paris) en 2013 pour Leipzig, la bataille des Nations
- Officier du Mérite Wallon décerné par le Gouvernement wallon en 2015 pour l’expertise fournie à l’occasion du bicentenaire de la bataille de Waterloo
- Lauréat 2018 du Prix Littéraire du Cercle Royal Gaulois (Bruxelles) pour le livre Clausewitz
Du 5 septembre au 5 décembre 2022 | Exposition - La Gloire des « Wallons » : les Belges dans l’armée des Habsbourg, 1756-1815
L’exposition s’articulait autour des collections patrimoniales de la bibliothèque Moretus Plantin (BUMP), notamment des pièces tirées du Fonds Éric Speeckaert pour l'étude des œuvres du Prince Charles-Joseph de Ligne et du Fonds Pierre Mouriau de Meulenacker. Elle était enrichie par des objets et des documents d’époque prêtés par le Musée royal de l’Armée, les Archives de l’État et l’Université de Gand. L'occasion de découvrir des livres précieux, l’équipement d'un sous-officier d'infanterie sous Joseph II, des sabres, des aquarelles et bien d’autres choses encore sur le sujet.
Cet article est tiré du magazine Omalius #26 (septembre 2022).

Axel Tixhon, scientific guarantor of a historic augmented reality project
Axel Tixhon, scientific guarantor of a historic augmented reality project
This is a first in Wallonia! The Citadelle de Dinant now offers an augmented reality tour that plunges visitors right into the heart of its history. At the helm: the French company Histovery, specializing in heritage reconstructions, with scientific support from Axel Tixhon, professor in the History Department at UNamur.

In the photo: Édouard Lecanuet, production assistant at Histovery, Minister Valérie Lescrenier in charge of Tourism and Heritage, Marc de Villenfagne, managing director of the Citadelle of Dinant, and Axel Tixhon, professor in the History Department at UNamur, inaugurate the HistoPad, a 3D reconstruction tool of the history of the Citadelle of Dinant. A project scientifically validated by Axel Tixhon.
Thanks to an interactive tablet christened HistoPad, the public can explore the site like never before. At various points along the route, visitors discover historical scenes recreated in 3D, supported by rigorous documentation and faithful reproductions of period settings, costumes and objects.
Three key periods have been selected for this immersion:
- 1821, Dutch period and construction of the fort
- 1832, Belgian period during which the Citadelle becomes a military prison
- 1914, during the First World War, the site is the scene of confrontations
Historical rigor at the service of innovation
Professor Tixhon was involved in all stages of the project, as a member of the scientific committee. Initially, he highlighted historically interesting events and traces still visible today, such as artillery pieces, an old kitchen or a bakery. It also provided Histovery with relevant and reliable documentation.
A faithful historical reconstruction, down to the smallest detail
His expertise has made it possible to assess the historical accuracy of the reconstructions.

They asked me to validate details, such as the Dutch army uniforms or the handling of weapons," he explains. "We also had to avoid anachronisms. For example, the Histovery team had displayed an 1850 portrait of King Leopold I in the office of a fort commander in 1832. They had also displayed the current coats of arms of the 9 Belgian provinces, which didn't match the coats of arms of the time. So we had to find the right portrait and the right coats of arms.
The invisible recomposed through archives
Some locations have also been virtually recreated from ancient iconographic sources, such as an ingenious wooden mechanism that once carried water from the Meuse to the fortress.
Histovery, already known for its achievements at the Château de Chambord, the Palais de papes in Avignon and Fort Alamo in the USA, here signs a Walloon first, blending heritage, innovation and scientific rigor. A success that demonstrates, once again, the relevance of dialogue between experts at the University of Namur and socio-economic and cultural players.
.The Patrimoines, transmissions, héritages (PaTHs) institute
The Patrimoines, Transmissions, Héritages (PaTHs) institute is a federation of research centers and groups that have sprung up in and around the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters. The institute is made up of several research clusters. Axel Tixhon is a member of the HISI cluster (History, Sounds, Images).

UNamur History Department
As a discipline, history surveys the human past in all its complexity: populations, economies, techniques, politics, religions, arts, ideologies, etc.

A first in Belgium: UNamur researcher reveals forgotten history of Walloon wolves thanks to ancient DNA
A first in Belgium: UNamur researcher reveals forgotten history of Walloon wolves thanks to ancient DNA
From 2020 to 2025, as part of her doctoral thesis in history, researcher Julie Duchêne conducted a ground-breaking investigation blending history and biology to trace the cohabitation between humans and wolves in Wallonia and Luxembourg, from the 18th to the early 20th century. Thanks to an innovative interdisciplinary approach, including DNA analysis of naturalized 19th-century specimens, her work sheds light on the mechanisms that led to the local extinction of the species. This research was made possible thanks to the support of numerous scientific and cultural partners.

In her doctoral thesis, Julie Duchêne (PhD in History UNamur/FNRS-FRESH) has brought out of the shadows the unexplored history of the relationship between humans and wolves in the Walloon and Luxembourg territories during the pivotal period that saw the extinction of the species there (18th-early 20th century).
What's at stake in this research?
- To understand the complexity of this coexistence in our regions,
- To identify the influence of human activities on the lives of wolves and of wolves on human activities,
- To decipher the mechanisms that led to the extinction of Canis lupus.
To achieve this, the researcher has deployed a pioneering multidisciplinary methodology in Belgium, combining on the one hand historical and documentary analyses, and on the other morphological and DNA analyses of naturalized 19th-century wolves preserved within a dozen partner institutions, museums and venues in Wallonia. Thanks to collaboration between the E-BIOM laboratory and the University of Namur, 13 specimens were thus studied according to a rigorous protocol, respectful of the integrity of the historical pieces.
While ancient DNA is often degraded by time, conservation conditions or the products used during naturalization, 9 out of 13 samples yielded results.

The main results of this analysis :
- Species confirmed : All the specimens analyzed belong to the species Canis lupus lupus, ruling out the hypothesis of dogs or hybrids.
- Kinship identified : Two wolves, including one kept by the de Bonhome family in Mozet, present a proven kinship.
- Dominant haplotypes: The majority of wolves belong to haplotypes H4 and H8, from a metapopulation historically present from western France to Germany.
- Discovery of an extinct haplotype: The Habay wolf, preserved by the de Beaulieu family, has a unique genetic profile, probably from a now-extinct population.
- Higher past genetic diversity: Wolves from the 18th and 19th centuries show greater genetic diversity than current populations.
- Wallonia, a historical crossroads: Even then, the region was at the crossroads of two major lupine dispersal routes: one from France, the other from Germany.

These discoveries underline the past genetic richness of wolves in Europe and the strategic position of Wallonia, already a crossroads for dispersal in the 19th century. A situation that echoes the territory's current recolonization by German-Polish and Italian-Alpine lineages
This study highlights the importance of heritage collections for better understanding the evolutionary history of species and contemporary conservation issues.
Want to find out more?
Discover all the results of this study and the "Loup qui es-tu?" project.
Brochure explaining the "Loup, qui es-tu?" project
To find out more ...
Deconstructing preconceived ideas about the wolf for a better-informed debate
The historical and scientific analysis carried out by Julie Duchêne also helps to qualify certain preconceived ideas about the wolf, often relayed in current debates.
- Attacks on human beings have existed, but they remain marginal and to be put into perspective. Complaints mainly concerned the loss of livestock (sheep, cows, horses, etc.).
- The wolf doesn't just live in the forest. Historically, it also frequented fields, roads, ponds and moors. Its presence depends on many factors, not a single habitat.
- The confrontations are not one-sided. They are also the result of human expansion into natural environments, not just wolf incursions.
- Populations did not seek to exterminate the species. They aimed for regulation, integrating lupine nuisances as well as other natural hazards.
- The wolf plays a positive ecological role, regulating populations of large herbivores, which promotes forest regeneration.
- The wolf's extinction is not due solely to eradication policies. It is the result of a combination of factors, including increasing human pressure on natural environments.
A study that extends into an exhibition
Julie Duchêne's research was also used to set up the exhibition "Même pas peur! Une évolution de l'image du loup à travers les siècles", developed by third-year history bachelor students as part of the Cultural Project course. The exhibition makes stops at :
- From May to early June 2025: Floreffe Seminary
- From June to September 2025: Pairi Daiza
- From October 2025 to May 2026: Gaumais Museum
About Julie Duchêne
Julie Duchêne holds a PhD in History from UNamur, specializing in environmental history and applied history (Public History). A FNRS-FRESH scholarship holder, she defended her doctoral thesis entitled "Les loups, de nuisibles à invisibles. Le rôle des politiques de lutte dans la disparition des loups des territoires wallon et luxembourgeois (18e-20e siècles), conducted under the supervision of Professor Isabelle Parmentier (director of the Pôle de l'histoire environnementale, institut ILEE).

Applied history: UNamur's contribution to the recognition of Saucisson gaumais as a PGI
Applied history: UNamur's contribution to the recognition of Saucisson gaumais as a PGI
Granular on the outside, medium-sized with a texture that is both tender and firm, subtle smoking, aromas that linger on the palate and... historical roots in its terroir: these are the assets that have enabled Saucisson gaumais to earn the European PGI label.

July 26, 2024 marks a key date for Wallonia and its culinary traditions with the registration of the name "Saucisson gaumais" as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) by Europe. This label promotes the specific characteristics of local products, while preserving the unique know-how of local producers. Among the players who have contributed to this recognition, the University of Namur, through the AgriLabel project, has played a decisive role.
Created in 2011 on the initiative of the Service public de Wallonie (SPW) and supported by the Cabinet of the Walloon Minister of Agriculture, the AgriLabel project aims to support the region's producers in obtaining quality labels for their products, in particular Protected Designations of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI). Informing consumers about the specific characteristics of these products is one of the objectives pursued by Europe in awarding these labels, while protecting them from imitations or usurpations of product names. This support is based on a partnership between two academic institutions: the University of Liège-Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech and the University of Namur.
Within this framework, the University of Liège-Gembloux focuses mainly on the technical aspects linked to production, such as characterizing the product and the manufacturing process, as well as delimiting the geographical area of production. For its part, UNamur is responsible for demonstrating the socio-historical link between the product and its terroir, its reputation and notoriety over time, essential elements for the recognition of a PDO or PGI denomination.
.Natacha Aucuit: historical expertise at the service of local products
Natacha Aucuit, a researcher specializing in food history at UNamur and a member of ILEE and Transitions, makes a key contribution to the AgriLabel unit under the supervision of Professor Isabelle Parmentier. Since 2013, she has been working on registration applications for products such as Fraise de Wépion and Jambon d'Ardenne IGP, among others. Its main role is to establish a documented historical link between the product and its terroir, based on rigorous research and a scientific approach.
In the case of Saucisson gaumais, this work required immersion in the region's agricultural and food history. Historically, the Gaume, which is slightly warmer than the Ardennes, shares with the latter a climate conducive to pig rearing, fed in particular on acorns and faines from local forests. Although these ancestral practices were abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century in favor of pig farming, they have left a lasting legacy, particularly in the manufacture of sausages. Saucisson gaumais, like its Ardennes cousin, is distinguished by a specific manufacturing process where the smoking method and the texture of the melee give the product its unique character.
Getting the PGI label for Saucisson gaumais is the fruit of a long process. Indeed, the process can take several years, not least because of the complex development, consultation and administrative procedures at regional, national and European level, and the questions posed by national and European bodies.

The Cellule AgriLabel, although it does not prospect, responds to producers' requests according to their motivations and the specificities of each dossier.
At present, several other dossiers are underway, such as Miel wallon at European level and Boudin blanc de Liège at national level. These initiatives testify to the ongoing drive to enhance the value of Walloon terroir products, based on the historical and technical research of the two partner universities.
In short, AgriLabel, with the expertise of UNamur, welcomes an Applied History approach where academic research is mobilized to enhance and protect the regional gastronomic heritage. The success of Saucisson gaumais as a PGI is an eloquent example of this fruitful collaboration between academic knowledge and local know-how.
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Bruno Colson: passionate historian, fascinating teacher
Bruno Colson: passionate historian, fascinating teacher
As a child, Bruno Colson was very fond of toy soldiers, the colorful uniforms of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, cavalry charges... From this passion, he made his profession. An expert in the history of war, he has studied contemporary questions of strategy and defense for years. On the eve of his retirement, Bruno Colson looks back on the involvement of Belgians in the Austrian troops in the 18th century with an exhibition at the Moretus Plantin University Library (BUMP). Interview.

Cette interview a été réalisée pour la rubrique "Expert" du magazine Omalius #26 (septembre 2022)
Votre exposition s’intitule « La gloire des "Wallons" ». À quoi cela fait-il référence ?
Il s’agit d’une période plutôt oubliée de notre histoire, celle des Pays-Bas autrichiens. Entre 1725 et 1795, de jeunes Belges se sont engagés dans l’armée multinationale des Habsbourg, aux côtés des Autrichiens, d’Allemands, de Tchèques, de Slovaques, de Hongrois… Les Habsbourg d’Autriche étaient les souverains légitimes, par héritage familial, de nos régions, y compris le duché de Luxembourg mais excepté la principauté de Liège qui était autonome à l’intérieur du Saint Empire romain germanique. Il est difficile de chiffrer le nombre total des Belges qui ont servi dans l’armée des Habsbourg. Mais durant plus de 70 ans, ils ont fourni chaque année entre 9 000 et 17 000 hommes, tous volontaires. Globalement, la « période autrichienne » fut plutôt favorable à la croissance économique de nos régions. Contrairement au XVIIe siècle, elles connurent moins la guerre et ses malheurs. Il y eut donc un enrichissement relatif de la population, notamment grâce au développement du tissage et à de meilleurs rendements agricoles.
Pourquoi parlait-on de « Wallons » plutôt que de « Belges » dans le domaine militaire ?
Vous aurez remarqué que « Wallons » est entouré de guillemets pour signaler un usage différent d’aujourd’hui. Il y avait bien sûr des Flamands et des Bruxellois qui s’engageaient dans les régiments dits « wallons ». L’origine de cette appellation n’est pas claire. Elle remonte à l’époque de Charles Quint. Les historiens conviennent cependant que le métier des armes attirait un peu plus les populations wallonnes. Les Flamands, dont les villes se sont beaucoup développées dès le Moyen Âge, vivaient davantage du commerce et de l’artisanat. Ils avaient donc moins de raisons de contracter un engagement militaire. Mais l’appellation de « régiments wallons » est un exemple de la désignation d’une partie pour le tout, comme l’expression « peinture flamande ». Au XVIIIe siècle, on qualifiait parfois de « Flamands » tous les habitants des Pays-Bas car le comté de Flandre était l’entité la plus connue et la plus riche. Le mot "Wallonie", lui, n’existait pas.
Comment cette époque a-t-elle pris fin ?
Avec les guerres de la Révolution française. Les Français envahissent nos régions en 1792, ils sont repoussés en 1793 mais reviennent en 1794, pour vingt ans. Lors du traité de Campo Formio en 1797, François II de Habsbourg cède les Pays-Bas à la République française. Sur le plan international, la Belgique est annexée à la France. L’armée autrichienne ne peut donc plus recruter de soldats dans nos régions. Pourtant, la plupart des officiers des régiments « wallons » restent fidèles aux Habsbourg et quelques Belges continuent même de rejoindre en secret l’armée autrichienne.
Des Namurois ont-ils servi dans l’armée des Habsbourg ?
Bien sûr. Le comté de Namur était une entité plutôt modeste au sein des Pays-Bas. Mais l’exposition à la BUMP met à l’honneur quelques officiers namurois. Le comte Jacques François de Groesbeeck était capitaine de grenadiers au régiment de Ligne-infanterie au début de la guerre de Sept Ans. Il fut tué au combat de Görlitz en Silésie, le 7 septembre 1757. Le prince Charles-Joseph de Ligne écrivit une lettre de condoléances à sa famille. Le document est toujours conservé aux Archives de l’Etat à Namur. On verra aussi dans les vitrines de l’exposition deux figurines représentant Louis Auguste Fallon et Louis de Romrée, des noms toujours portés aujourd’hui par des Namurois.
Le prince Charles-Joseph de Ligne est un personnage connu. Qui était-il ?
Parfois surnommé « le Prince rose » à cause des couleurs de sa livrée et du régiment d’infanterie de son père, Charles-Joseph de Ligne (1735-1814) fut un des plus grands écrivains du XVIIIe siècle, abordant tous les genres, de la pièce de théâtre au roman. Personnage cosmopolite et de grande culture, aussi à l’aise dans les salons de Versailles que dans ceux de Vienne et de Saint-Pétersbourg, il incarne le « bel esprit » de son siècle au moment où celui-ci se meurt dans les tourments de l’époque révolutionnaire. Il quitte son beau château de Belœil en 1794, à l’arrivée des troupes françaises, pour se réfugier à Vienne. Mais avant d’être un écrivain, il a été un officier intrépide et s’est beaucoup distingué durant la guerre de Sept Ans. Il a également écrit des ouvrages de réflexion sur le métier militaire : plusieurs sont présentés dans l’exposition. Comme d’autres Belges, il parvient au grade suprême de feld-maréchal, en 1808.
Que garde-t-on de cette époque ?
Les Autrichiens n’avaient pas autant le souci de la gloire militaire que les Français, les Prussiens ou les Russes. Aussi ont-ils gardé moins d’objets de cette époque. Si vous observez les uniformes de l’armée des Habsbourg, à part les hussards hongrois avec leur costume national, vous ne verrez pas autant d’épaulettes, d’ornements, de couleurs, de broderies que dans l’armée française, par exemple. L’infanterie autrichienne portait des uniformes assez simples, les moins coûteux possibles, blanchis à la craie. Il n’y avait pas non plus comme en France autant de commandes officielles de « peintures de batailles ».
Les Belges rejoignent un peu les Autrichiens sur ce plan. Ils les rejoignent aussi en matière d’autonomie et de libertés locales. Ce n’est pas un hasard si ce sont des pays fédéraux.
Vous terminez votre carrière à l’UNamur, quel souvenir gardez-vous ?
Je vais partir heureux et très reconnaissant de ce que j’ai pu accomplir ici.
J’ai eu notamment la chance de pouvoir instaurer un cours d’histoire militaire. Namur est d’ailleurs la seule université belge à proposer un tel cours, qui rencontre un beau succès auprès des étudiants. J’ai toujours aimé enseigner et partager avec des jeunes ma passion pour l’histoire. Mes cours ont toujours été suivis par des étudiants d’au moins deux programmes différents : droit, sciences politiques, histoire et philosophie. J’ai développé avec eux une relation qui est devenue un peu paternelle, au fil des années. J’estime qu’on m’a vraiment donné toutes les possibilités de m’épanouir intellectuellement, je n’aurais pas pu rêver mieux.
CV express
- Né en septembre 1957
- Docteur en histoire (Sorbonne, Paris) et en sciences politiques (UCL)
- Licencié et agrégé en histoire (UCL) et en philologie classique (ULg)
- Doyen de la Faculté de droit de 2005 à 2009
- Professeur en histoire constitutionnelle et régimes politiques, histoire des idées politiques, histoire des relations internationales, guerre et stratégie à l’époque contemporaine à l’UNamur
- Namurois de l'année 2006 (domaine scientifique)
- Officier de l'ordre de Léopold II
- Auteur de plusieurs ouvrages remarqués
- Prix Premier Empire de la Fondation Napoléon (Paris) en 2013 pour Leipzig, la bataille des Nations
- Officier du Mérite Wallon décerné par le Gouvernement wallon en 2015 pour l’expertise fournie à l’occasion du bicentenaire de la bataille de Waterloo
- Lauréat 2018 du Prix Littéraire du Cercle Royal Gaulois (Bruxelles) pour le livre Clausewitz
Du 5 septembre au 5 décembre 2022 | Exposition - La Gloire des « Wallons » : les Belges dans l’armée des Habsbourg, 1756-1815
L’exposition s’articulait autour des collections patrimoniales de la bibliothèque Moretus Plantin (BUMP), notamment des pièces tirées du Fonds Éric Speeckaert pour l'étude des œuvres du Prince Charles-Joseph de Ligne et du Fonds Pierre Mouriau de Meulenacker. Elle était enrichie par des objets et des documents d’époque prêtés par le Musée royal de l’Armée, les Archives de l’État et l’Université de Gand. L'occasion de découvrir des livres précieux, l’équipement d'un sous-officier d'infanterie sous Joseph II, des sabres, des aquarelles et bien d’autres choses encore sur le sujet.
Cet article est tiré du magazine Omalius #26 (septembre 2022).
Agenda
Academic year 2025-2026
Something for everyone
09:30 | Welcome ceremony for new students
11:00 | Back-to-school celebration at Saint-Aubain Cathedral (Place Saint-Aubain - 5000 Namur), followed by student welcome by the Cercles.
Official ceremony for the start of the academic year 2025-2026
Save the date!
